For months after his return, Hirohisa had struggled to deal with the horrors he had seen there. He had fallen to drink and despair until he received a visit from Satsu himself, who warned the dark path Hirohisa was walking. He threw off the shroud that had enveloped him. [5]

During the return Katsutoshi tried to kill Hirohisa in his sleep, so that he would be the only one to earn glory from this exploit. Katsutoshi planned to present the sword to whomever succeeded Toturi III as the Emperor of Rokugan. Hirohisa could not retrieve his daisho, previously taken by Katsutoshi, and by happenstance wielded the Hantei sword. Hirohisa hesitated to use himslef an Imperial item, and was killed. [5]